[Effect of Wuling Powder on rats with renal hypertension].

OBJECTIVE To observe the therapeutic effect of Wuling Powder extract on rats with renal hypertension and to evaluate the influence of it on the volume of urine and the concentrations of Na(+), K(+), Cl(-). METHODS Reformed Gold-blatt hypertension rat model (G-2K1C) was established. The rats were divided into 6 groups as follows: sham-operation group; model group, Wuling Powder high dosage group (80 g/kg), Wuling Powder middle dosage group (40 g/kg), Wuling Powder low dosage group (20 g/kg), and hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) group (25 mg/kg). Urine volume of the rats was measured during the experiment. Tail arterial pressure and [Na(+)], [K(+)], [Cl(-)] in serum of the rats were detected after 30 days of treatment. RESULTS The blood pressure of the G-2K1C rats was decreased in the three Wuling Powder groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), but higher than that of the false-operation group (P<0.01), and there was no difference between each of the Wuling Powder groups and the HCT group (P>0.05). Diuretic effect of the three dosages of Wuling Powder was weaker than that of the HCT (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The effects of the three dosages of Wuling Powder and HCT on [Na(+)] and [Cl(-)] in the serum were not obviously different (P>0.05), but [K(+)] of the HCT group was significantly decreased compared with that of the false-operation group and the three Wuling Powder groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSION Wuling Powder extract had satisfying therapeutic effects in increasing the discharge of urine, decreasing the blood pressure and keeping the balance of the serum electrolyte contents in rats with renal hypertension.